OUR HARDWOODS

Edge Grain vs. End Grain

The majority of our hardwood products are made using the End Grain and Edge Grain constructions. Both are durable, safe, and double as beautiful art for your kitchen.

End Grain

The Omni End Grain is the ideal construction for a surface that gets heavy use in the kitchen. They are built to last for years and provide a safe cutting surface that won’t dull your knives. The self-healing quality of the end grain construction reduces the appearance of knife marks and if properly cared for your block will continue to look like new for years to come.

Walnut End Grain Butcher Block

Maple End Grain Butcher Block

Edge Grain

Edge Grain surfaces are a wonderful, less expensive alternative to the end grain construction. The Edge Grain is the strongest grain of the wood. This means excellent durability. It is also more resistant to staining and absorbing moisture. Edge Grain boards are still better on knives than plastic and last longer too. For countertops, this is the most popular choice.

Maple Edge Grain Cutting Board

Walnut edge grain countertop

Face Grain

The face grain construction is often used in our bread and cheese boards because it allows the unique and beautiful grain patterns in the wood to take center stage. This type of construction is also an excellent option for counter tops, again because it showcases the wood's natural grain pattern. These are not the most knife-friendly boards and tops but if wood grain and color are important to you this is an excellent choice.

Walnut Face Grain Countertop

Walnut Face Grain Serving Board

On Cutting Boards

Wood vs. Plastic

It is indisputable that wood butcher blocks and cutting boards make the most durable cutting surface and are far less damaging to cutlery. However, there has long existed an argument about which type of cutting board is safer--wood or plastic (never use glass).

When it comes to sanitation, studies have shown that wood surfaces do not create an environment in which bacteria can reproduce, thrive, and end up contaminating your food. Wood cutting boards are not easily scarred by even the sharpest of knives because of their fibrous composition. This unique feature does not allow for the creation of deep crevices in which bacteria can hide which is a common finding in plastic cutting boards. Disinfect your board after each use with a white vinegar solution and keep it well oiled to protect the cutting surface (see our Care Instructions).

If cross contamination is something that you still worry about, use separate cutting surfaces for meats and vegetables. Wood is durable, safe, and beautiful enough to handle the all kitchen tasks.

Bamboo

Bamboo is an eco-friendly, sustainable, and less expensive option for a cutting board. It is also a much better choice than plastic. We use only NAUF and FSC certified and formaldehyde-free bamboo that is plantation grown. This means that no natural resources are destroyed when farming for our material. Bamboo is highly durable and required very little maintenance.

A note on reclaimed/salvaged woods

Be very cautious when buying cutting boards made of reclaimed wood. Even if you know exactly where the wood came from it is hard to know for certain that it was never exposed to harmful chemicals. Wood is naturally porous and easily absorbs substances in its surroundings. We support the use of sustainably harvested woods and stay away from reclaimed wood for the safety of our customers.